International Consultant-Editor (Retainer)

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, the empowerment of women, and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women's rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women Ethiopia Country Office (ECO) is thus dedicated to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. UN Women Ethiopia Country office new Strategic Note (SN) 2021 – 2025, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2020-2025. The country office sets out to work in four thematic priority areas 1) ending violence against women and girls; 2) governance and participation in public life; 3) economic empowerment and resilience; and 4) peace and security, humanitarian action, and disaster risk reduction. These efforts contribute to Ethiopia’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). 

By supporting national priorities and commitments, the country office’s work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) (2020–2025) in Ethiopia, particularly Outcome 1 (All people in Ethiopia enjoy the rights and capabilities to realize their potential in equality and with dignity) and Outcome 2 (All people in Ethiopia live in a cohesive, just, inclusive, and democratic society). In implementing its 2022-2025 Strategic Note, the UN Women Ethiopia under its main programmatic areas has supported the production of knowledge products that contribute to the overall goal of advancing equality and women’s empowerment. 

Key Programmatic Areas:
•     Women in Leadership and Governance: To promote women's leadership in decision-making at all levels—federal, regional, and sub-regional—by creating an enabling environment and strengthening their capacities.
•     Women’s Economic Empowerment: To address barriers that prevent women, especially the most vulnerable, from fully participating in socio-economic development while enhancing their ability to leverage national and continental business opportunities.
•     Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: To ensure women and girls can live free from violence by improving access to justice and protection services.
•     National Planning and Budgeting: To ensure the Ethiopian government in financing gender equality commitments through Gender-Responsive National Planning and Budgeting. Additionally, exploring innovative financing mechanisms such as gender bonds, Gender-Responsive Procurement, and other emerging financial solutions.
•     Coordination for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: To accelerate the implementation of laws, policies, and commitments on gender equality.
•     Women, Peace, and Security and Humanitarian Action: To integrate gender equality into the humanitarian-development-peace nexus by enhancing the capacity of women-led organizations (WLOs).
Consequently, to ensure the production of quality knowledge products and reports/content, UN Women is thus seeking to recruit an editor with ample experiences in editing reports, developing policy briefs, and preparing documents for publication to donors and public audiences. The international consultant will support UN Women, and its thematic area programmes under a retainer contract based on demand.

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The main objective of this consultancy is to review, edit and ensure content/materials are comprehensive, concise, clear and results-based  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Country Representative and programme  team leads , the consultant will:
•     Review, understand and internalize the materials/content; 
•     Ensure UN Women branding and marking are in place
•     Ensure grammatical accuracy, correct spelling, and proper language usage;
•     Check completeness of documents, ensuring all narrative sections and annexes are in place; 
•     Review table of contents and acronym list;
•     Ensure a consistent style, format, and structure throughout the document and elimination of repetition and inconsistencies. 
•     Ensure the correct positioning and numbering of boxes, figures and tables; 
•     Ensure consistent font (s) – as relevant to headings and text and appropriate use of italicized and bolded words; 
•     Thorough review of annexes to highlight incomplete areas along with consistency in presentation as per UN Women publication guidelines (to be shared with the retainer consultant upon signature of the contract).
•     Ensure all footnotes, sources, and references are complete and consistent;
•     Collaborate proactively and work closely with UN Women teams to refine content as needed
•     Develop short summary/policy brief where necessary.  
 

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES
Under the overall guidance of the programme team leads and with support from Communications and Knowledge Management team, the consultant is expected to provide: 
•     Print ready edited contents on policy briefs, events briefs, human stories, research documents, periodical reports, manuals, promotional leaflets, and related documents as per specific assignments 
•     Prepare comprehensive report including areas for improvement concerning periodic reports, human stories, publications, promotional materials, manuals and other related materials

Competencies :

Core Values:

Core Competencies:

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

•     Ability to work with minimal supervision.
•     Evidence of having undertaken similar assignments
•     Experience in editing reports, developing policy briefs, and preparing documents for publication. 
•     High level written and oral communications skills in English
•     Result-oriented, team player, exhibiting high levels of enthusiasm for gender equality, diplomacy, and integrity.
•     Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and professional skills 
•     Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with people from varied cultures and professional backgrounds.
•     Ability to produce well-written and edited documents .

Education

Experience
•     Minimum of 10 years of progressive relevant professional work experience on report writing, translation and editing on the area of gender, women’s rights and development 
•     Strong background and understanding of reporting and editing 
•     Good interpersonal skills and capacity to liaise with parties concerned; 
•     Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines 
•     Knowledge and understanding of gender, law and Women’s right; 
•     Experience in designing and photography usage within publications 
•     Experience working with intergovernmental and/or Regional organizations including the United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) and Substantive knowledge of gender and development will be an asset 
•     Substantive knowledge of gender and development; 
•     Knowledge and understanding of the social, cultural, and political context of Ethiopia and work in the country will be an asset.

Language and other skills 
•     Fluency in oral and written English is required. 
•     Strong writing and editing skills
•     Being proactive in seeking clarifications, resourceful, solution-oriented; 
•     Working knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.